₦airaland Forum

Oluwtosin Oyelowo a 25 year old Nigerian student at MUSC has been found dead. Reports says she jumped from bridge.

    The woman who reportedly jumped from the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge on Friday was a 25-year-old MUSC student, according to police reports and various online articles.

    Olutosin "Tosin" Oyelowo, a Nigerian national with roots in Wake Forest, NC, was last seen by motorists and pedestrians leaping from the Bridge, a Mount Pleasant police report states.

    Calls reporting the jumping were received around 3:30 p.m. on Friday, according to reports. Police found Oyelowo's purse and driver's license at the summit of the bridge in the area where callers reported seeing her jump.

Police located Oyelowo's 2007 Toyota Yaris at a convenience store in Mount Pleasant where many pedestrians park to walk along the bridge's pedestrian path.

Water searches for Oyelowo by Mount Pleasant and Charleston police, as well as the U.S. Coast Guard, have not been successful in the days since the jumping was reported.


more: http://www.

Guarantee Trust Bank seem to be showing others the way as they have launched their own mobile banking service in patnership with MTN.

The innovation is a prompt step towards financial inclusion, which the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the bankers' committee had been driving.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc (GTBank), Mr. Segun Agbaje

described mobile money as a veritable vehicle for attaining the country's payment system for vision 2020, which was targeted mainly at taking banking to the country's huge unbanked population and the rural areas.

Agbaje who also argued that Nigeria still had about 30 million unbanked population, insisted that the services of mobile money would contribute significantly to the growth of Nigeria's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

“We will do everything we can to make sure that this project succeeds, it will help grow the economy because Nigeria mobile money is different from that of other parts of the world and will help take money to the unbanked while the rest of the world would also adopt this model,” he said.

Chief Executive Officer MTN Nigeria, Brett Goschen, said that mobile money service would drastically change the face of communication and financial services in the country and provide a whole new and exciting experience to its numerous customers.

He said: “Not only will mobile money take banking to the previously unbanked but it also opens up a wide range of benefits and values added services to the banked sector including corporate, small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs). For MTN, Mobile Money represents another opportunity to bring additional added value services to our over 40 million and growing subscriber base.”

source: http://www.

Senators yesterday picked holes in President Jonathan's N4.7 trillion budget for 2012 fiscal year, insisting that the proposed N921 billion for security was too high.

Most Senators who spoke during the debate yesterday on the general principles of the budget however warned that the National Assembly as an institution would no longer accept any excuse from the executive for non implementation of the budget.



The lawmakers who described the N1.3 trillion (28 per cent) for capital project as too poor however stressed the need to closely monitor the handling of the proposed N921 billion for security. The lawmakers also noted that the proposed N3 trillion for recurrent was a negation to the government resolve to cut down the cost of governance.

President Goodluck Jonathan had on Tuesday presented a budget of N4.7 trillion for the 2012 fiscal year. About 28 per cent of the estimate was earmarked for capital project while the reaming 78 percent was for recurrent expenditure.

But Senators at the debate yesterday faulted what they called jumbo allocation to security. Most of them feared that such funds may not be accounted for in the same manner with security votes to governors and president.

Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma Egba in his lead debate said the budget proposal is a stepping stone to the transformation of the nation's economy and its walk to economic freedom.

Jonathan in his presentation asked the National Assembly to authorize the issue from the Consolidated Revenue of the federation of the sum of over N4.750 trillion out of which N397, 929,101,917 billion is for statutory transfer, N559.58 billion is set aside to service the nation's debt.

Others include, N2.471 trillion meant to service Recurrent (Non-Debt) Expenditure, while the balance of N1.320 trillion is for contribution to the development Fund for Capital Expenditure for the year ending on the 31st December, 2012.

Egba said the budget is predicated on Oil Production of 2.48 million barrels per day, up from 2.3mbpd for 2011, Bench mark oil price of US$70 per barrel, a cautious revision from the US$70\Barrel approved in the 2011 Amendment Budget.

He listed others to include exchange rate of N155 per US, projected GDP growth rate of 7.2 percent and projected inflation rate of 9.5.

The budget being the first budget to be presented to the seventh session, Ndoma Egba said is hinged on four pillars that will help in achieving its objectives to include macro-economic stability, structural reforms, governance and institutions and investing in priority sectors.



In the budget, Security has the crunch of the total budget with N931.91 billion, Power, N161.42, Works, N180.8 billion, Education excluding UBE, PTDF and ETF, N400.15 billion, Agric N78.98, Health, N282.77, Water resources, N59.66, Aviation, N49.23.

Others are Transport N54.83, Land and Housing, N26.49, Science and Technology, N18.31.

Deputy senate president senator Ike Ekweremadu appealed to the government for consultations while preparing the budget, saying, there should be openness in the preparation of such issues that has direct effect on Nigerians.

He solicited for reform in the procurement process in Ministries, Departments and Agencies MDAs to make them more effective.

The deputy Minority Leader, Senator Ganiyu Solomon said though the budget is supposed to promote growth and employment, but, with the set aside of 28 percent only to the capital expenditure, it cannot promote growth and employment as against the 72 percent recurrent, noting that there is the need to reduce the nation's debt profile.

Bernabas Gemade in his own contribution said he was encouraged by the drive for renewal of non oil sector revenue generation, but puzzled at the allocation to the Agricultural sector which he said is supposed to be a major employment generator.

Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi faulted the allocation to the security sector which he said was four times what is given to health.

"What is going into the security is six times what we are spending for power. The prioritization of out spending is not reflective of what is happening in our economy, if we spend more on agriculture, which can provide jobs, we won't worry about security.

"Virtually all the key to the economic sector do not have a road map apart from agriculture, of what is to be achieved with these funds, in the MTFF paper there were talks of a social safety net to cushion the effect of these policies, but the budget is totally silent about this.

"The budget of 2012 raises issues of defining the roles of the following and the budget was silent on how the federal government would work with states as states are the drivers of wealth creation, the recurrent expenditure is not being put to good use.

Abdul Ningi in his own contribution called for vigilance on how the security allocation is being spent and preferably with what they are doing with the money.



"How much is going to the office of the national security adviser viz a viz what is given to the Police, Navy and other agencies, government should be commended for the tax waivers, Niger delta is another issue, what happened to the funds budgeted for amnesty, nobody knows how much money as been given to militants and where they are", he queried.

Ifeanyi Okowa in his own contribution disagreed with the allocation to the agricultural sector, saying it was lower, but however expressed optimisms that the federal government would collaborate with the state, as he said there is the need to look more at performance monitoring of the budget, "We should not only focus at the monies spent, but on the value added".

Probe N700bn pension fund

COSMAS EKPUNOBI (ASSIST. POL. EDITOR)

Heads may roll in the National Pension Commission (NPC) and other approved pension offices as Senate yesterday commenced full investigation into the alleged irregularities in the handling of over N700 billion pension fund in the last seven years. The probe was alleged to have unsettled some key actors in the handling of the pension fund as it is likely to step on toes.

Senate is expected to extend its search light to the Military pension and handling of such funds at local government levels.

Senate joint committee on Establishment, States and local government at a press conference yesterday vowed to expose the alleged actors in the over N700 billion pension fraud.

The committee lamented the poor management of the pension scheme across the land saying that Senate was determined to end the fraud in the handling of the pension funds.

The committee is expected to unravel how much 'funds have been released for payment of pension annually in the last seven years to the various pension offices and system and how were the funds utilized'.

Chairman of the committee Aloysious Etok at the briefing said several billions of pension fund are still trapped in some unauthorized places adding that the committee would expose those behind the fraud.

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He said the committee will extend its search on the handling of military pension fund saying that the whole essence of the exercise was to ensure that those who had served the country meritoriously are not subjected to un-necessary hardship.

Senator Etok said the committee would at the end of the exercise come up with answers to ' how many pensioners exist in Nigeria under the various pension offices and system and what are the monthly pension amount or entitlement of pensioners in the various pension offices and system'.

The probe follows a recent resolution of the Senate mandating the two committees to conduct comprehensive investigation into the management and administration of pension funds and the payment of pensioners in Nigerians.

Chairman of the Senate committee on states and local government, Gaya in a remark yesterday however said the exercise is to get things right and not to witch hunt any body

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Lagos State University students have been advised by the authorities of the institution to pay up their tuition fees which hits its deadline today or forfeit studentship.

New students are expected to pay between N193,750 and N348,750, old students to pay between N25,000 and N33,250 by the close of work today.

President, Lagos State University Student Union, LASUSU, Akeem Durojaiye, condemned the management’s decision.

He said: “In fact, the unbannable Lagos State University Student Union totally condemns the draconian policy of Professor Obafunwa, LASU new VC. We have issued a bulletin to this effect, urging students who can’t meet the impromptu deadline not to panic.

“How do you expect a student whose parents earn below the N18, 000 minimum wage to pay N250,000 within two weeks? This is outright wickedness,” he said, adding, “everything is under God’s control.”

“To our surprise, this morning, (Thursday), the Public Relations Officer of the union, Financial Secretary, Treasurer and 10 other students were arrested by men of the Ojo Divisional Police Headquarters, in what they (management) termed ‘malicious damages’ of the university’s property.

He said the property involved was the students union arcade gate, which the union broke down to gain entrance into their offices as it was locked-up by the management.

“Which property are they talking about, is it theirs or ours? The reason behind the arrest of our members can not be justified, although, they have been bailed this morning (Thursday) by us, but our stand remains that students who may not meet with the impromptu deadline can never forfeit their admission.”

Also speaking, Comrade Olateju Azeez, PRO, LASUSU, described his arrest, that of two other members of the union, and 10 other students as unfortunate.

“We will not be cowed to give-in to the draconian policies of the management”, assuring, “students who have their money should go to pay and commence registration, while the union will ensure it stands for those who may not meet the deadline, against the management’s threat that they will forfeit their admission”.

Source: http://www.

MANCHESTER City oddball Mario Balotelli has reportedly racked up a £55,000 hotel bill after he was forced to evacuate his firework-ravaged home.
The striker — dubbed Mad Mario — is said to have decamped to the Manchester Hilton after a £200 banger ignited in the bathroom of his £3million rented pad causing extensive damage.

Repairs to the property will set the Italian player back £400,000.

And it’s now claimed he’s forked out another £55,000 to stay in a £979-per-night suite in the five star hotel ever since the unfortunate incident in October.

As well as smoke damage to the four-bed Cheshire pad, the bathroom in which the firework exploded was gutted.

The incident is said to have occurred when a friend of Balotelli aimed the pyrotechnic device at fellow revellers partying in the garden.

Ten firefighters raced to the scene.

A source said: “There’s nothing left of the designer bathroom but charred and melted remains.

“Thick smoke made the whole place uninhabitable. That’s what has sent the damage costs spiralling.

“They were lucky to escape serious injury.”



The furious businessman who owns the plush abode reportedly refused to go through insurance, demanding Balotelli pay for the renovation work out of his own pocket.

It’s not the first time 21-year-old Balotelli has been caught up in a firework controversy – he let off rockets from the balcony of the Manchester flat he initially rented upon signing for City in August last year.

Speaking about his mood after the 1am stunt at his former gaff backfired, he said: “I was really, really angry.”

source: http://www./2011/12/15/mario-ballotelli-racks-up-55000-on-hotel-bills/

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/bizarre/4000438/Balotelli-racks-up-55000-hotel-bill.html

Mercy is back after her long honeymoon and she is the cover for WOW magazine.

Mercy Johnson looks stunning here.

source: http://www./2011/12/15/mercy-johnson-covers-wow-magazine/

Nigeria is to have its communication satellite NIGCOMSAT1R launched in China next week, the government announced on Wednesday.
The planned launch comes three years after the first communication satellite was deorbited in 2008.
The new satellite is to be blasted off at no cost to the government and that is because NIGCOMSAT 1 was fully insured.
Nigerian Minister of Communication Technology Omobolaji Johnson told reporters in the capital Abuja that the new satellite is a replacement of NIGCOMSAT1 which was deorbited in 2008.
She added that NIGCOMSAT 1R will complement the efforts of the ministry of communications technology to roll out assisting infrastructure both in rural, semi urban and urban areas.

http://www.

Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said yesterday that government has uncovered about N1 billion paid to unidentified police pensioners every month.

The discovery was made after a biometric data exercise conducted on police pension fund, the minister said in Abuja at a press briefing on the 2012 budget breakdown.



"Due to some work by the tax force that is helping us on this issue of biometric exercise, from the Head of Service Office to the Police Pension Office, we have been able to bring down the amount paid to police pension from N1.5 billion to N.5 billion (N500 million) and we wish to continue because Mr. President wants this done, and we hope to use this as a vigorous tool of bringing down the recurrent expenditure," she said.

The minister also said that from next year, the civil service would be restructured to weed out ghost workers and pensioners.

"We are going to restructure agencies with overlapping and duplicating functions. We are going to look at our Commissions and Committee and see whether some of them are still needed. We are thinking of restructuring the government," she said.

The aim of the exercise, she said, was to reduce government's recurrent expenditure, which moved down from the current 74 percent of the entire budget to 72 percent in next year's budget.

She said that personnel cost paid to the MDAs constitute the bulk of the recurrent expenditure, and "it is not easy to drastically cut personnel cost because it touches on human being."

On the 2012 budget deficit estimated at 2.7 percent, the minister said it would be financed through borrowing of N794 billion, as against N852 billion borrowed to finance the 2011 budget deficit.

The borrowing will be in form of signature bonus, treasury bills and bonds, adding that proceeds from privatization would also be used to fund the deficit.

The implementation of the 2012 budget would give priority to the 6, 000 ongoing projects across the country and a 16-man team has been constituted to oversee the implementation.

source: http://www.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201112150506.html

DELTA State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan yesterday presented a budget proposal of N383.4 billion.
The figure is higher than last year’s budget of N361.9 billion with about N21 billion.
Recurrent Expenditure is N168.8 billion while Capital Expenditure is N213.6 billion.
A breakdown showed that the state intends to raise N51.4 billion through Internally Generated Revenue while N170 billion would be generated through statutory federal allocation.
Similarly, the state would raise N9.9 billion through Value Added Tax (VAT) and N151.9 billion through capital receipts.
The governor, who christened the proposal, “Budget of Sustainable Development”, said the major objective was to deepen the administration’s sustainable initiative of reducing poverty and unemployment.
He said the budget was predicated on result-oriented strategies, adding that “government is moving away from the usual budget practices of mere allocation of figures to a practical, structured, and robust approach that can sustain development.
“This budget, therefore, is crafted to address the problems that have confronted us over the years.”
Some youths yesterday protested at the Assembly shortly after Uduaghan presented the budget.
They accused Uduaghan of appointing only women as commissioners, special advisers and special assistants and urged him to consider some of them for appointment. tp?

source: http://www.

http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news/29821-tokyo-denies-link-with-planned-violence.html

The popular comedy show Nite of a Thousand Laughs finally ends

According to reports, Opa Williams ended the show because a lot of comedians in the country have started off their own shows which has led to jokes been repeated on his shows.

Nite of a thousand laughs which started in 2005 used to be Nigeria’s best comedy show until recently.

The final edition would take place in Benin City on 26th December 2011 and 1 January, 2012.

source: http://www./2011/12/15/opa-williams-finally-ends-nite-of-a-thousand-laughs/

For those of you waiting to see what No ni crooner Samuel Oguachuba aka Sam Klef is up to the next time he hits the Nigerian entertainment scene with another album, there is a big surprise hot in the making.

Sources tell us that Sam Klef is already in serious talk with American R&B artist, rapper and producer Timothy Zachery Mosley aka Timberland and that together, they plan to do a colabo that will raise the roof and silence both their critics forever.

Since it’s a partnership that is still in it’s early stages, our source says Sam Klef has held sealed lips on the title and entire concept of the song.

Come January 13th, he will be flying to South Africa to shoot the videos of his hit tracks Paradise and Suwe. Then he will be taking the long flight to Miami in the state of Florida, US to shoot the video of his track All the way.

Sam Klef is the music producer behind some of the biggest names in the music industry like Sunny Neji, Ruggedman, Durella, Vector, D’Prince, Skales, and Wizkid.A

He shot to fame and stardom early in the year when he released his debut single Molowo Noni which featured Ice Prince, Whiz kid and D’ Prince.

Durella’s My Life was produced by him and Whiz Kid’s Tease Me which had been recorded during a freestyle session had been mixed and mastered by Sam Klef in exactly 30minutes.

In October this year, it was rumoured that he had dumped bachelorhood for good; a rumour that got no comment from him.

http://www.playlistuncovered.com

source: Vanguard Nigeria

u think so?

According to the men magazine "Men´s Health", former "Friends" star Jennifer Aniston is the hottest woman ever.

"Funny is sexy, and Jennifer Aniston is funny. Her down-to-earth persona makes her seem attainable and anyone who´s seen her in ´Office Space´ has to admit she makes even pieces of flair look good," Men´s Health explains.

The feature with a list of the 100 most sexy women includes many female film stars and singers. Among the top five are Raquel Welch, Marilyn Monroe, Britney Spears and Madonna.

source: http://www./2011/12/14/jennifer-aniston-chosen-as-hottest-woman-of-all-time/

Rumour has it that Genevieve Nnaji has lost a major Nollywood role to Omotola Jalade Ekehinde.

Genevieve had the role until she travelled to America and since the filmmaker did not want her to delay the film production, he decided to replace her with Omotola who is already on location this Sunday in Lekki, Lagos.

The movie is directed by Teco Benson

http://www./2011/12/14/genevieve-nnaji-loses-major-role-to-omotola-jalade-ekeinde/

A budget proposal of ₦921.9 billion has been earmarked by the federal government to fight the menace of the Islamic sect, Boko Haram, Niger Delta militants and other miscreants who have been terrorising many parts of the country.

President Goodluck Jonathan, on Tuesday, made this revelation while presenting the total budget of ₦4.749 trillion before a joint session of the National Assembly.

He said security has to take the lion share out of the total budget because of “the threat of Boko Haram, Niger Delta militants and increasing spate of insecurity and wanton destruction of lives and property by criminal which are on the rise.” He said the government would spend the amount to ensure the safety of security of lives and property.

And to reinforce the nation’s security challenge, Maiduguri, the Bornu State capital experienced yet another bomb explosion as President Jonathan was reading the 2012 budget yesterday morning.

Although the bomb explosion, which occurred on Ali Ngoshe Street in the London-Chiki area of the city recorded no casualty, soldiers in the Joint Task Force reportedly started shooting indiscriminately after the blast, killing three kids.

Boko Haram has continued to pose serious security concern in some northern parts of the country, including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, leading to the recent Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), which ended last Tuesday with another bomb explosion in Kaduna State by the dreaded Islamic sect.

Analysts of the 2012 budgets say the security vote is justifiable as only days after Boko Haram bombing in Kaduna, members of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) caused a stir in Lagos as they marched in the city.

They were protesting against the general insecurity in the country, especially the terrorist activities of the Boko Haram, the OPC leader, Dr Frederick Fasehun said.

The OPC members, estimated to be almost a thousand, marched from the old toll gate through Ojota, Maryland, Ikorodu Road and Ojuelegba to the National Stadium in Lagos, where the procession terminated with a rally.

As they marched on the major highway, they brandished guns and other weapons. They shot sporadically into the air, causing panic and fear among pedestrians and motorists.

The long procession was trailed by a long convoy of vehicles inside which some of the OPC members sat, according to eye-witnesses.

The leader of the OPC, Frederick Fasehun told reporters that the march was “to protest against all those things that are distasteful to Nigeria, including insecurity, unemployment and terrorism.”

Also last week, travellers passing through Lokoja-Abuja highway had a terrible experience, following the blocking of the road by militants from the Niger Delta who said they were going to the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, to protest their exclusion from the amnesty programme of the federal government.

The development compelled thousands of vehicles passing through the ever-busy road to be stranded for several hours, with long traffic hold up, before a combined team of the military and mobile policemen could clear the road.

About 1,600 militants, travelling with 300 different brands of vehicles were later dispersed by security men.

http://www.

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/National/5749500-146/story.csp

Three of the newly deployed mobile policemen to complement efforts of the command to fight incessant armed robberies in Ogun State, have been arrested for allegedly perpetrating illegality in the course of carrying out their duties.

Commissioner of police, Nicholas Ndemkeme, made the disclosure on Tuesday while parading number of arrested criminals, including armed robbery suspects at Eleweran Police Headquarters, Abeokuta, adding that the arrested mobile policemen would soon face orderly room trial.

He said the policemen were arrested for allegedly extorting money from motorists and passersby, in the course of keeping security watch to checkmate criminals and their activities.

The police boss further declared that the command will not encourage crime and illegality in any form from its men, stressing that calling or assigning any one of them for special assignment should not be seen as avenue to engage in fraud.

"Those arrested now in police net would be given orderly room trial, it should be known that if you deployed for special assignment, it should not be seen as guarantee to engage in illegality" Nkemdeme stated.

However, at the parade of suspects which took place at Eleweran Police Headquarters, NEXT reports that fifteen suspected armed robbers, two murder suspects as well as one suspected kidnappers were shown by the command to newsmen.

In a related development, two fake policemen were apprehended by the Border Joint Patrol on stop and search duty at Ilashe when the suspects were intercepted in an old Toyota Camry car.

The car was said to have been driven by one Ogundare Olayiwola Samson dressed in police uniform with the rank of assistant superintendent of police. The logo on his shoulder gave the impression that the officer was a fake one.

http://www.

http://234next.com

Even as late Dim Odimegwu Ojukwu’s kinsmen are yet to come terms with the grim reality of his demise,the festering feud between his wife,Bianca and eldest son,Emeka Ojukwu(Jnr) is threatening to mar his final rites of passage.

Since the Ikemba Nnewi took ill,there has been a lingering feud between Bianca and her stepson.If there was any doubt about the sour relationship between Bianca and late Ikemba’s son,the brawl between the duo culminating in conflicting statements on his state of health only brought it to the fore during the early stages of Ikemba’s hospitalization in London,as the supremacy conflict endured.

While Bianca consistently fed Nigerians a picture depicting Ikemba as recuperating,the younger Ojukwu was of the opinion that Ojukwu’s health was on the decline,and as such,the world should know.

Emeka reportedly put his foot down,insisting that he remained the only authority to speak on his father’s health being the eldest son and as Igbo tradition demands.

We gathered that Emeka Ojukwu (Jnr) was however ready to play down his feud with his stepmother(Bianca) so as to avoid any conflict that would possibly mar the father’s burial ceremonies.

Another snag in the whole issue boils down to who gets the bigger recognition .

Until now,Federal Government and the states in the East have been discussing with Bianca on how to give the late Ikemba a befitting burial while Emeka(Jnr) has been doing his own thing.Only last week,some of the late Ikemba’s siblings led by Chief Innocent Okafor,officially communicated the Ikemba’s death to Igwe K.O.N Orizu of Nnewi.

Before then,the South East governors had stated that the funeral rites of the ex-Biafran warlord will hold in Enugu,being the capital of the old Eastern region,before handing his body to his kinsmen in Nnewi for burial.

The burial of Ojukwu,we gathered,will involve some traditional rites in Nnewi since he was a holder of 2 major traditional titles-Dim & Ikemba,in the town.

http;//www.

TO grow the economy and create jobs, the Federal Government will next year introduce fiscal policy measures that will encourage the purchase and utilisation of locally produced commodities.
Duty on agriculture machinery and certain specified equipment, effective January 31, will be zero.
President Goodluck Jonathan broke the news in Abuja during his 2012 budget presentation to the National Assembly.
He said to encourage the substitution of high quality cassava flour for wheat flour in bread-baking, bakeries will get 18 months to transit from wheat to cassava. Besides, they will enjoy a corporate tax incentive of 12 per cent rebate, if they attain 40 per cent blending.
With effect from March 31st, importation of cassava flour will be prohibited.
President Jonathan said: “All equipment for processing of high quality cassava flour and composite flour blending will enjoy a duty-free regime as incentive to bakers for composite flour utilisation. Consultations with the sector to ensure a smooth transition are on-going.”
The government “will further look at supportive fiscal policies for the rice and wheat sectors to stimulate domestic production”.
From next July, wheat flour will attract a levy of 65 per cent to bring the duty to 100 per cent. Wheat grain will attract a 15 per cent levy to bring the duty to 20 per cent.
“There will be a levy of 25 per cent on brown rice to bring it to 30 per cent,” Dr Jonathan said.
To encourage domestic rice production, a levy of 40 per cent will be placed on imported polished rice, leading to an effective duty rate of 50 per cent. From December 31, next year, all rice millers are expected to “move towards domestic production and milling of rice, as the levy of 50 per cent will be further raised to 100 per cent”.
The President warned that the era of waivers and concessions for rice and wheat importation are gone.
With regards to the implementation of the Power Roadmap, which aims to create a robust power sector through the privatisation for the generation and distribution of power and the creation of an enabling environment for investment, President Jonathan said: “Institutional arrangements have been made for a Bulk Trader company to intermediate between power producers and distributors in a market setting, thereby giving Independent Power Producers (IPPs) the confidence to invest in generation capacity.”
The government, in collaboration with development partners, has created a credit risk management initiative to provide Partial Risk Guarantees (PRG) to give comfort to gas producers in respect of payment.
With effect from January 31, equipment and machinery in the power sector will attract zero duty.

http://www.

When you talk of a top Nigerian artiste, then you should call Tiwa Savage. She is just too good and her new single Make- Up is no exception. She is surely in the leagues of the big babes

http://www.playlistuncovered.com/premiere-tiwa-savage-make-up/

clip:
God is not interested in the death of sinners'' Christ came for the sinners/ unsaved to be saved
Some of us are worse than the two of them but we still attend Church services with out positive change in our lifes
Then, are we better? Let us pray for them.

Exactly, Our Politicians needs serious prayers. SO its good if we see them in churches

An early morning fire yesterday, destroyed 20 shops at the Funtua Central Market in Katsina State, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

NAN correspondent, who was at the market, reports that properties worth millions of naira were destroyed by the fire which started at about 2 am and lasted till dawn.

The cause of the incident has yet to be determined.

However, the fire was put out by the combined efforts of firemen from Katsina State Fire Service, policemen, civil defense corps and officers at the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) along with some residents.
The items destroyed includes; textiles, electronics, jewelleries and provisions.

Malam Salisu Foli, a victim who sells textiles, described the incident as the will of God, stressing that at present no one could explain the source of the fire.

Foli commended the efforts of security agents as well as residents for their prompt response which according to him saved other traders’ shops.

Another victim, Hajia Kudiratu Funtua, who lost almost all her shop’s wares, prayed to Allah for remedies and prevention of future occurrence

The District Head of Funtua, Alhaji Sambo Idris, has inspected the affected portions and sympathized with the victims.

Idris urged traders to remain calm and consider the incident as the will of Allah.

He gave an assurance that he would facilitate support from individuals and agencies to the victims and prayed against future occurrence.

http://www.

http://www.leadership.ng/nga/articles/10256/2011/12/12/fire_razes_funtua_market.html

He claims everything is in a dictionary but he uses a "multiciplicity of dictionaries"

I would have transcribed the video but do not think I would get those grammar right?

On Gowon:

The time has come for General Gowon to be told to stop reducing the horrendous problems of this country to one of execrable platitudes and banalities.His perfunctory interventions has all the trappings of avuncular pusillanimity.His voice should should be stentorian on the side of the people and not one dripping with patronizing sequacity.The problem of Nigeria is certainly not one of lack of prayers.It's in the main a problem of leadership and to a considerable extent that of followership.

He also has a video on why he speaks unbeleivable grammar. Check out the video here http://www.

Source: http://www.

Top gospel artiste, Nikky Laoye yesterday at The Grandeur Event Centre in Oregun, Lagos, got wedded to Mr Alexander Oturu.

The wedding saw a lot of Gospel singers and top Nigerian celebrities in attendance. Some celebrities who attended the event included, Sammy Okposo, Kenny Saint Brown,Essence, Rooftop MCs, MC Abbey, Yaw,Jedi and many others.

The wedding ceremony was conducted by officials from House on the Rock church.

We at NaijaBB wish her the very best in her married life.

Stay tuned with us for more pictures from the event.

Source: http://www.

Corrupt Nigerian leaders have found a safe haven in Dubai, one of the seven emirates in the oil-rich United Arab Emirates (UAE), for stashing away their loot.

The spendthrifts among them have also devised ways to satisfy their celebratory appetite at the drop of a hat.Our investigation during a recent visit revealed that with tightening of the noose on slush funds in the Western world, some smart Nigerian leaders turned their focus to the delectable tourism city and business hub.

It was gathered that a former military administrator, who became an ambassador, owns a 35-storey tower named after him in the city. The structure is worth several millions of dollars.

A former Nigerian vice president also has a state-of-the-art building in the upscale Jumeirah district, close to the Atlantis Hotel, which is one of the most expensive and luxurious hotels in the world.

Among others said to own exotic structures in the Arab city are a former Lagos State governor, who is gradually emerging as a political Sheikh in Nigeria as well as a former radical Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister from the North. Both property are in the Deira axis of the emirate.

Harried former Delta State governor, James Ibori - currently facing corrupt enrichment charges before a Crown Court in London - was equally said to have eye-popping investments there.

Our source revealed that during the late President Umaru Yar’Adua ill-health saga, the cabal, made up of his loyalists and some northern governors, usually congregated at Ibori’s home to plot their strategy before going to Saudi Arabia, where the late Nigerian leader was hospitalised.

“When Yar’Adua was in hospital in Saudi Arabia, most of those loyal to him used to meet with Ibori here. They call him (Ibori) chairman and he usually hosted them in one of his houses. It is from here they left for Saudi Arabia,” the source disclosed, adding that, “there is hardly a governor in Nigeria that does not own property in Dubai, especially the northern states governors.

“Nigerians are well respected here and they have the highest number of visa applications on a daily basis. The Dubai authorities grant not less than 95 per cent of these applications.”

Worried by the dwindling revenue from oil, Dubai relaxed its economic and trade policies to woo investors. Today, the largest chunk of the emirate’s income is earned from hotel and tourism, real estate and financial services, similar to that of Western countries. All this is buoyed by the tight security in place and almost non-existent violent crime. There is hardly any fear about moving around at any time of the day. A young Nigerian, Chimaroke Nwaozuzu, who is a legal resident, told us that Nigerians prefer to invest and do business in Dubai because of the beauty of the city and the adequate security in place.

“Besides, it is safe for the corrupt leaders to hide their stolen wealth because they would not be exposed unlike in America or Europe. Here, Nigerian leaders buy estates and pay cash even though most of the property consultants and firms operate flexible payment terms. The firms agree to spread the payment period over five to eight years. But these leaders prefer to develop the Dubai economy and, unfortunately, it is with the money they have stolen,” he lamented.

Other features however make the emirate attractive, such as its loosely regulated free trade zones, thriving ports, freewheeling property sector and permissive business environment. These combine to make Dubai very attractive for money launderers.

According to an international crime threat assessment prepared for the United States government by the Federation of American Scientists in 2002, “money-laundering activity in the UAE total $1 billion annually” after Dubai’s property sector was opened up to foreign buyers. But the authorities do not agree as they play down the extent of money laundering, saying there were laws to fight it.

Profligacy at Burj Al Arab Hotel

We further learnt of governors that do not own property in Dubai but live large and revel in the splendour of the Burj Al Arab Hotel.

Described as ‘seven-star’, it is the most luxurious hotel in the world where the rate of a suite ranges between $1,000 (N160,000) and $28,000 (N4.5 million) per night. The iconic 60-floor structure, designed like the sail of a boat (actually built to resemble the sail of a Dhow, a type of Arabian vessel), stands 321 metres (1,053 feet) on an artificial island about 280 metres (919 feet) from the Jumeirah beach, and is connected to the mainland by a private curving bridge.

It was the tallest building used exclusively as a hotel until it was toppled by another in the city, Rose Rayhaan, in December 2009. At every time of the day, tourists from all over the world mill around to catch a glimpse and take photographs from the point allowed by the hotel security.

“Whenever they (governors) visit, they always go for the best, including the most expensive suites at the hotel. You can imagine how they spend our money,” the source further disclosed.Our observation inside the hotel was that its interior is a statement in creativity. Decked all over with gold and other Oriental ornaments, guests are given a royal treat typical of the Arab Sheikhs.

Helicopter cruise

The latest fad for some of the leaders is to celebrate the wedding and birthday of their children in Dubai. Guests are flown from Nigeria. According to our source, the celebrants and guests go on helicopter cruise instead of the usual boat cruise, after which a lavish reception is held at the Amani Club atop the Burj Khalifa. “The Burj Khalifa is a 150-storey tower and it is the tallest building in the world. Entry fee into the Amani Club is $1,500 (N240,000) per person,” the source added.

There are different types of helicopter tour services around Dubai offered by travel and tour firms. For instance, there is the Bell Helicopter 206 Series and the 212 Series offered by the Travel & Culture Services. The 206 Series carries four – five persons while the 212 Series carries six – eight persons.

The fascination for those who embrace this service is that it offers an opportunity to watch the picturesque Dubai skyline from the air in your ‘own helicopter’, according to the tour firm.

We could not however get the exact fee per tour but it was gathered that it does not come cheap and not every Emirati can afford it. Besides, the fee is determined by the routes and number of minutes the helicopter is airborne, which is between 15 and 60 minutes.

SOurce: http://www.

The reinstated 49 lectureers of the University of Ilorin, have dragged both the Vice Chancellor and the Federal Government to court over non-compliance with the Supreme Court orders on payment of their entitlements.

The return to court by the lecturers followed alleged refusal by the defendants to implement fully, the directives of the apex court in connection with payment of the plaintiffs’ outstanding allowances.

The university was alleged to have met with the lecturers through their lawyer, Mr. J.O. Baiyeshea, SAN, but the talks reportedly broke down due to alleged belligerence by both parties.

Baiyeshea had in a letter in May 2011 to the University stated that only a full implementation of the orders of the court would be acceptable.

Thereafter, he handed the matter to a new lawyer, Mr. Toyin Oladipo, who now went back to court for the enforcement of the full orders of the Supreme Court.

Already, there are indications at the Federal High Court Ilorin that Toyin Oladipo and Yusuf Ali, SAN, have filed a fresh suits before the court presided over by Justice Faji over the matter.

Vanguard reliably gathered that the lecturers have adopted a two-pronged approach towards the enforcement of Supreme Court order in their case.

They filed garnishee process to retrieve monetary aspects of the order and another seeking punishment against both the Federal Government and the university for alleged contempt of court

In his interim ruling in a garnishee process, Justice Faji, ordered that the University should deposit the disputed sum of about N302 million into the court’s account, while the two parties come forward with their relevant arguments and adjourned the case till today.

The orders of the Supreme Court were for the unconditional reinstatement of the lecturers, payment of their salaries and allowances from February 2001 to Dec 2009, as well as restoration of all

other rights, entitlements and perquisites they missed during the period of their non- reinstatement.

However, it was gathered that, apart from their reinstatement and full payment of monthly salaries to some of them, the defendants had not been paid their arrears of leave grants, the University was yet to accord the lecturers their other rights like leaves, sabbaticals and promotions.

In addition, although the Federal Government had made funds available

in full for the lecturers arrears for the entire period, the University had allegedly deducted huge sums of money from those who secured one form of employment or the other during the period of the termination of their appointment.

The lecturers have also claimed in their court affidavits that the University was bent on continuing to victimize them, citing deprivation of other entitlements such as leaves and promotions.

According to them, it is not reasonable for the university to expect that someone who was an Assistant Lecturer in 2001 should remain in same position in 2011— about 10 years afterwards.

The University acknowledged making such deductions in its court processes filed, but stated that this was in furtherance of a certain rule that civil servants should not collect two salaries at the same time, even as the affected lecturers have countered that non-payment of their salaries for a prolonged period led to their period of service being broken in the University, contrary to the order of the Supreme Court.

They also said that they had also been deprived of pensions and tax payments, among others, for the period. Their contention is that they should be paid as ordered, while they sort out whatever whatever was needed to be sorted out with those who employed them during the period of their sack in accordance with the terms of their employment and the dictates of the law.

http://www.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/12/unilorin-49-lecturers-sue-fg-vc/

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) candidate, Mr. Oyetunde Ojo as the winner of the Ekiti Central Federal Constituency II for the House of Representatives rerun held on Saturday.

Ojo polled a total number of 26,338 votes to beat his closest rival, Mr Kehinde Odebunmi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who scored 17,344 to place second.

Declaring the results of the election at the Community Grammar School, Aramoko-Ekiti, the Returning Officer, Dr. Akintunde Aremu, explained that seven political parties participated in the election.

They include Mr. Olaoluwa Fasakin of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), 425 votes; Mr. Sayo Fatayo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), 46 votes; Mr Peter Adekola Bamigbade of the National Transformation (NTP), 153 votes; Hon. C.O Oluwafemi of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), 106 votes and Mr Israel Ogunleye of the Labour Party (LP), 69 votes.

Out of the 120, 190 voters registered in the Federal Constituency, a total of 46,540 voters participated in the election while 2059 votes were rejected.

The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Alhaji Halilu Pai, lauded journalists and security agents across the state for a job well done during the election.

The INEC National Commissioner for Ekiti, Oyo, and Ogun States, Prof. Lai Olorode also applauded the voters and the people of the Constituency their conduct.

The Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi commended the people of Ijero, Efon and Ekiti West Local Government Areas for conducting themselves in a peaceful and orderly manner before, during and after poll.


http://www.


http://www.leadership.ng/nga/articles/10264/2011/12/12/acn_wins_reps_rerun_ekiti.html

Chief Olabode Ibiyinka George (CON), 66, who retired as a Commodore of the Nigerian Navy, has paid his dues as a player of politics in Nigeria, notwithstanding his ordeal in the hands of what many have described as political adversaries, which led to his incarceration over a matter that now has become an issue of litigation at the Supreme Court.

Respected for his articulate views and thoughts on national and international politics, Chief George has been severally eulogised for his outstanding performance during his time as nineth Governor of old Ondo State where he made the highly versatile state one of the most peaceful States in the federation. He also boosted the state’s education system with the establishment – by edict in 1990 – of the Ondo State Polytechnic, Owo (now Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo).


Chief Olabode George
The former Chairman, Board of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and strong man of the ruling People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in the South-West of Nigeria, played a role in how the Fourth Republic successfully emerged. Popularly called ‘BG’ by his close friends, Chief George spoke to Saturday Vanguard at his Lagos home on Monday. Excerpts:

As a primary school boy, football was said to have virtually occupied your heart. How much of that experience could you still remember?

At that time, I was a very rascally boy. Football meant a lot to me. If it were to be like today, I would probably not have gone for any further education (laughs). At Isale Gangan, we had a local stadium. We played league then on knock-out basis and on the final match day, they would put rag mats around the place and you had to pay money to enter the local stadium to watch the finals. My club then was Seven Brides of Seven Brothers.

That was the name they called it. I was the captain and I was very well known then. At times, when we played and we won, people would carry me on their shoulders in jubilation, singing and going to my father’s house. Once they got to Apa Tira I would say, “Please put me down” because my father must not know that I was going behind closed doors to play football.

In those days, whenever my father returned from work, he would always be at the window listening to radio and looking outside . So, for a crowd to now come and drop me and say Bode went to play football, that would mean hell and for my father to know that I was going behind to play football was an abomination.


George: Soon, FG will resolve Diya, others’ rights issue
Then, there was one time when we were to play the final and it was scheduled to be on Sunday and Sunday was dedicated mainly to serve the Almighty God in the family. On Sundays in those days, we rarely had free period. We went to church in the morning, came back home, took our meals and headed back to church.

I was a member of the choir. So our club manager wanted the league to have its final in Isale Gangan and it had to be played on Sunday. I would never forget that experience because I would never dare to inform my dad about such a thing that would not let me to go to church on Sunday. Then, I told my club manager that, “look, this is your jersey, you can look for somebody else to play my role.”

How would I tell my father that I was going to play football on Sunday? Onola or no Onola, final or no final, how the hell would I have done that? I said I was not going to play that Sunday. He then said, “Can I come to your house and tell your father?” I said, “Please don’t come near my house!”

I didn’t know that the club manager went behind me to meet my father and so, he (my father) got to know that I had been playing football. Then getting closer to the d-day, the man came again and when I saw him coming, I disappeared. My father was a very tough man. He kept calling, calling me and I was hiding in grandma’s quarters until grandma now heard and said, “Baba e npe e” meaning, your father is calling you. Then I told mama agba (grandma) what had been happening and she said, “come, let’s go there.” When I saw my father and the club manager, I was afraid. But unexpectedly, my father said, “you can go and play.” And he, himself, was invited as special guest to watch the match (laughs).

The crowd that day was too large. I think we lost but my father became very, very happy that I was well known in the area through football. Many of my friends; we played together. General Tajudeen Olanrewaju, Jasper, was playing for the Oklahoma Bombers (laughs) and even Prince Adebiyi who is contesting for the Obaship of Lagos was also there. The Onabolus, the Fashanus and the Fasholas of Isale Gangan were all there and it was fun.

What role did your parents play in your growing up as a child?

After my primary education at St. John School, Aroloya, I went to Ijebu-Ode Grammar School. And I thank God eventually that I did. I was too rascally that my father just wanted me out of the place to go to school. You know in those days, we took the same examination for CMS Grammar School, Methodist Boys High School and Baptist Academy for Ijebu-Ode Grammar School. I was admitted in Lagos but my dad just wanted me out of the place and that was how I got to Ijebu-Ode Grammar School.

At Ijebu-Ode, I now had an organised programme as to when to wake up, when to go for studies, when to play games: we were structured. I think that gave me the grace to apportion my time properly with all the early discipline in the boarding school in those days. We had a good principal, Rev. M.D. Osinsanya, no nonsense! When it was time for work, you work; time for play, you play; time for food, you eat; time for studies in the evening and so on.

My father was shocked when he began to see my results from the school because I was second to nobody in my classes throughout. Now looking back at myself, I found out that it was the fact that we were now structured. Punishment was immediate if you messed up or you fell out of line and of course, time for football was also there. I think I was in Form Three when I started playing for the ‘First School Eleven’ and eventually, I became the school football captain. I belonged to the literary society, doing debate and so on. I also ran the miles for the school in athletics but football was my main. All through the Ijebu region during my days in the grammar school, either in debating or football and so on, I was well known and so it was fun.

After the grammar school, we went to the university and after university, before we knew it, we were in employment. In fact, in my graduating year at the University of Lagos, we were eight students graduates of electrical engineering. Eight students! And before we even wrote our final examinations, the Niger Dams Authority had come to interview us and three of us were employed. We got a job even before we left the university such that at the end of the examination, what you needed to do was to know that you already got a job. If that kind of thing happens now, it will be like a dream.

How and why did you decide to quit the plum job of Niger Dams Authority for the military?

I will tell you what happened. I had a friend, Somolu, who was also on the employment of Niger Dams, which was the only power producing company. Although there was ECN, Electricity Corporation of Nigeria, it was the only customer we had because we would produce and the ECN would buy the bulk. They also had their own power stations. The ECN were much bigger than us, we had less than 30 engineers working at the Niger Dams.

We had the late Mr. Amu who was our boss. We had Seke, Gbemi and I. We were the youngest engineers and Engr. Owoeye and Akinlabi from Ondo were the two that were employed from Ahmadu Bello University. Not many universities were offering engineering at that time. We had only the University of Lagos, Ahmadu Bello and UNN which, of course, was closed down because of the Civil War and we had the University of Benin, which was just coming up. Just ABU and Unilag really offered engineering.

We came to the Niger Dams as pupil engineers; we had done all the theoretical thing in the university and you needed the practical before you could become a full fledged engineer. So my pupillage training was done in Niger Dams Authority for the first stupulated two years.

At the end of it, the World Bank then looked at the two corporations, the NDA and the ECN and then recommended that the two be merged and that was what brought about NEPA, National Electric Power Authority. It was the merger of Electricity Corporation of Nigeria and the Niger Dams Authority that brought NEPA.

It was during the merger arrangement that an advertisement came for enlistment into the Nigerian Navy that they needed young graduate engineers whose discipline was electronic and electrical engineering and who would be further trained on weapons system.

Already because I was scared of what our fate would be as people from very small unit, (the Niger Dams) into the ECN now a big monster called NEPA, my fear was that we were going to be totally consumed and packed out of relevance (laughs). So when I then saw the Navy advertisement I applied. I even asked Seke to apply but he refused. I applied, went for the interview and I was taken. That was how I left civil life and joined the military life.

Did you experience regret after leaving the civil life for the military?

I never had any regret taking such decision. Immediately we got into the Nigerian Navy, we had the normal training and with the training, they had to take the civilianness out of you and take you into the real military life. Then I went for the weapons’ course at the Royal Naval Engineering College in Europe and I was there for about a year. It was a conversion course and my best subject was control engineering. Most of these things centred on control. An example is, you know, you have a ship, do you understand? Now you have your weapon on the ship. You have an aircraft approaching you and you have a gun to track it, and if it’s tracking, the radar will look at it, assess it – the distance, the speed – by calculation. It would do a quick assessment and when it has done all the assessments and calculations, now you want to pass information to your weapon to begin to shoot down the aircraft. Isn’t it? So what you do is that, you will now do an interpolation so that, if the aircraft is flying at 60… and you know the distance, you can quickly calculate the time of speed of your weapon and even your ship.

So you calculate the feature position of that target and so the information with the computer calculating all that and now giving the information to your weapon. So, when you fire the aircraft in this direction and in firing you know the speed of the aircraft, by the time the aircraft flies to this direction, the it will be there for the bullet to meet its target.

All the timings, the dynamics, the calculations that are involved, we call it the computer-aided analysis. So that was my own background and that was my specialisation in the military. Then, of course, after we joined the Navy, first thing was the weapons and then the torpedoes. You had the surface-to-air, surface-to-surface.

All these missiles came while we were just growing up (in the military) and I must confess that I owe this country a lot because I was trained! I was given the best of training in this country, best military training. So my bias has always been with the Navy. I am Navy and Navy is me; because whatever I have done, even what I’m doing now, that is the opportunity the nation gave me as a freight farer.

I went to best of Naval colleges: I went to the Royal Naval Engineering College, I went to the US Naval War College and the course in the college gives you all the exposures to real naval life. You know in America, you have three categories of Navy: the deep sea Navy, the other which is just a little patrol around your government fallow water links and the other. You know, deep sea Navy means you go ocean-wide, worldwide. It used to be number one in the maritime world.

And then, I did a lot of weapons system trainings in Holland and I spent many years there. That’s the basic training for weapons system. Of course I did a lot of trainings on weapons. For a long time, I was just being trained all over Europe. I remember my first child was asked: “Who is daddy?” And he said, “Daddy is the one who is always travelling.”

Then it was during that period that I was fortunate to have non-regimental posting to (old) Ondo State as Military Governor when Ekiti was still under Ondo State and later on I was at the Villa and then I found myself back in the civil world.

How did you meet Chief Olusegun Obasanjo?

I never knew I would be jumping into politics and politics also came by pure chance. I was in exile enjoying myself and all that until Baba (Obasanjo) was ill. Baba’s wife, the late Stella, was my very close person. I was part of all the marriage celebrations and all that. I knew Baba, more, through her and when I was in exile in London, they came and I took them out for dinner and so on. Baba had just been released from prison then and I think he travelled to England to also thank all those leaders who were of help to him while he was in prison.

Then he told me that, “Look, Nigerians are coming to me asking me to come and become president” and I told him that those people didn’t mean well for him. That was my first comment to him. But the next time he came to London, I was already seriously thinking about it and I concluded that he should go for it. Chief Ebenezer Babatope was there in London, Niyi Alonge was there, Yemi Ogunbiyi too was there. We had a meeting and we were talking about Nigerian politics. I came to a conclusion at that time that if they needed him, then he should go!

The country was in a state of chaos and they needed somebody very experienced, somebody who was tested, to stabilise the system and solve all those problems. So when Baba came back, I told him, “Baba I think those people meant well.” He said, “You too, you done join dem.” I said no sir, that it was good. And I really meant it.

Then I gave him the parting shot that, “If at the end of the day you make up your mind that you are going to run with all those people, I will come and join you.” He said, “You? Aloku soldier!” meaning old soldier. I said, “Yes, I will come.” And that was how I came back from exile because then, he later made up his mind and it was when he was going to talk about it with other people that I arrived, right at the meeting, and I didn’t know that AIT was going to broadcast that meeting as a live programme. So people saw me there and they said, so I was also there and it was there they saw that I had come back to the country because they knew I was in exile.

But what led to your exile?

I was in the Villa where I served with General Abacha and General Diya as Principal Staff Officer. I didn’t like the way I was retired because it was heavy politics and I mean heavy politics. I was disadvantaged as a Yoruba man. This is all history now but just for a mention, let me say that we had a general meeting where (MKO) Abiola was discussed. My good friend, General Tajudeen Olanrewaju, who was then Minister of Communications, was not at the council meeting that day.

They must have sent him somewhere on national assignment and at the meeting, some people were condemning Abiola. We made our comments and, gba gba gba, they emptied the barrel (I was fired). I remember I told General Diya as my parting shot that, “Ti won ba ti yogi leyin ogba, ogba awo” (when pillars are removed from behind the fence, it collapses) and I said to him that I wished him the best and I left.

My father was still alive that time and when I came home to tell him that they had fired me, he said, “Quickly now, go and pack your things and come back home!” You could still remember the tension because there was so much tension at that time. That was the time of the arrest of some top military officers and my impression was that, “Ha, the cleansing has come” (laughs). If you look at the situation at that time, you would know that yes, this is the new Southern cleansing and they were talking about Abiola and they said there was coup; there was no coup and all that. I said, “heh!” I packed my things and left the country. I remember I told my wife that, “If you don’t go and pack your things and come here, you better go and look for another husband.” I remember also as principal staff officer that any time Baba visited the villa, I was all over the the place trying to get appointment for him to see either General Abacha or General Diya. The details will come later in my memoirs.

But the Oputa Panel set up by the same Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, when he became President, recommended that those generals punished with the so called Diya coup be compensated, apologised to and that all their military rights be restored to them…

(cuts in) You see, let’s leave that to another heavy debate…

(cuts in again) But the disgusting aspect of it is that nothing has been done about the generals’ matter. Why do you think it is so?

We have written what we can write. Is it up to 25 years now? No and so, like the Americans would say, it is still in the hot plate. It is still classified and so by the time it is de-classified, all the details will come out to full fledge public domain.

But for now, you know, on both sides, people have been hurt and the best thing to do is to do the palliatives to calm nerves. We pray that God will give them good health to live up to that time because the personnel are all still alive.

You can see now what people are talking about late Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu; it is over 25 years. So it is ripe to now de-classify, open up all the details and allow the younger generation to learn about their country. So if you say this too early, you may be getting into classified official information.

Why did you describe your posting as military governor of old Ondo State as non-regimental posting and how did President Ibrahim Babangida at that time arrive at that posting?

I called it a non-regimental post because, as a soldier, you don’t have any say about your appointment. If you are lucky you may be consulted when you get to a certain rank but you must be like a general and they tell you that, “We are going to do this” so that you can prepare your mind for it. As a matter of fact, it was my driver who heard that I was appointed military governor of old Ondo State.

Who are you to say no? It’s not a regimental post like in the Navy where they would just say you would be taken from one ship and be on the shores or you are appointed a director and so on. And when the day they would remove you comes, they would remove you and that is all!

Source: http://www.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/12/i-used-to-help-obj-get-access-to-abacha-diya-bode-george/

Arsenal boss, Arsene Wenger is not ruling out a move for Thierry Henry in the summer.

When asked on a partnership between Anelka and Henry in the Arsenal team, He had this to say:

“I read that Anelka has signed in Shanghai, so there is no need. The problem for us is we lose Chamakh in January, we lose Gervinho in January, and offensively we will be a bit short. However, we have Arshavin, we have [Oxlade]-Chamberlain, who has made great progress already, who can come in. If there is an opportunity there with somewhere hy not? We have Park also, now his adaptation period is over, we will see much more from him in the second half of the season.”

On Henry he said:

“At the moment he goes back on the 15th of January to a training camp. I don’t know where.”

From Arsene Wengers statement. It looks like henry could sign a short deal to replace nations cup bound striker, Chamakh

http://www./2011/12/10/wenger-not-ruling-out-henrys-arsenals-move/

army

76 Nigerian citizens have been reported to have been sent home by the UK government.

The deportees includes those who had completed their prison terms and failed asylum seekers.

Nigerian High Commissioner to the UK, Dr. Dalhatu Tafida, denied claims that some Nigerian officials worked with the British Government to unfairly treat Nigerians.


Source: http://www./2011/12/09/uk-deports-76-nigerians/